(ATR) It could be gold, silver, bronze and copper if the IOC moves ahead with a proposal at its meetings in Seoul to add a fourth medal to podium of the Olympic Games. Sources tell Around the Rings that the new medal, proposed to be made of copper, could be added as soon as Beijing.
The new medal is being advocated by the Association of Small Olympic Committees (ASOC) as a way to expand the recognition of athletes from outside the circle of powerful sports nations such as the U.S., Australia and Germany that regularly finish atop the medals table.
A leader of ASOC says his colleagues considered several other ideas for the medal, including nickel and brass, before settling on copper. The metal was forged in Ancient Greece and, according to some historians, was probably used for medals presented to the first Olympians, more than 3,000 years ago.
Consideration of the proposal over the next week in Seoul has been timed for the meeting of the Association of National Olympic Committees, which could vote in favor of a resolution for the copper medal. If the resolution passes, the IOC Executive Board could consider the idea during its meetings in Seoul, as well.
Around the Rings understands that the IOC President remains one of the main obstacles to the copper medal. Jacques Rogge, as well other key IOC leaders are said to be leery of this break with tradition.
A change would require more than approval by the EB; the full IOC would have to approve a revision to the Olympic Charter, which spells out the protocol and composition of the medals awarded at the Olympic Games.
"This could help improve the universality of the Olympic Games," says one IOC member from Asia about the copper medal.
But another member tells ATR adding a fourth-place medal would dilute the honor of a podium finish during the Games.
"I think it's a joke," says the member, unreserved in his opinion about the proposal.
"If it happens, I also think this would then lead to proposals for a fifth place medal. And in the end, I don't think the smaller nations would benefit much. You would see the big countries just adding to their haul from the Olympics," he says.
On-the-scene coverage of this story, as well as other developments from the Olympics meetings in Seoul, throughout the next week at www.aroundtherings.com, for subscribers only.
PUBLICIDAD
PUBLICIDAD
Últimas Noticias
Sinner-Alcaraz, the duel that came to succeed the three phenomenons
Beyond the final result, Roland Garros left the feeling that the Italian and the Spaniard will shape the great duel that came to help us through the duel for the end of the Federer-Nadal-Djokovic era.
Table tennis: Brazil’s Bruna Costa Alexandre will be Olympic and Paralympic in Paris 2024
She is the third in her sport and the seventh athlete to achieve it in the same edition; in Santiago 2023 she was the first athlete with disabilities to compete at the Pan American level and won a medal.
Rugby 7s: the best player of 2023 would only play the medal match in Paris
Argentinian Rodrigo Isgró received a five-game suspension for an indiscipline in the circuit’s decisive clash that would exclude him until the final or the bronze match; the Federation will seek to make the appeal successful.
Rhonex Kipruto, owner of the world record for the 10000 meters on the road, was suspended for six years
The Kenyan received the maximum sanction for irregularities in his biological passport and the Court considered that he was part of a system of “deliberate and sophisticated doping” to improve his performance. He will lose his record and the bronze medal at the Doha World Cup.
Katie Ledecky spoke about doping Chinese swimmers: “It’s difficult to go to Paris knowing that we’re going to compete with some of these athletes”
The American, a seven-time Olympic champion, referred to the case of the 23 positive controls before the Tokyo Games that were announced a few weeks ago and shook the swimming world. “I think our faith in some of the systems is at an all-time low,” he said.
